Trip actuation device for an automatic record player

ABSTRACT

A device wherein balls are interposed between a trip slide for transmitting the movement of a pickup arm to a trip for controlling the automatic record player and brackets for supporting the trip slide so that the trip slide may smoothly move in sliding motion.

tinited States Patent [151 Rondo et al.

' 11] 3,822,888 [451 July 9,1974

TRIP ACTUATION DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC RECORD PLAYER Inventors: Tatsuo Kondo, Yokohama City;

Masae Murata, Yamato City, both of Japan Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited, Yokohama City, Japan Filed: Dec. 7, 1971 Appl. No.: 205,623

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 8, 1970 Japan 45-109138 US. Cl 2 74/1 L, 274/15 R Int. Cl. .Q Gllb 17/06 Field of Search 274/9, l3, 15, l L, 10 R References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kawaharazaki 274/15 R Bardon 274/4 D Primary Examiner-Harry N. Haroian Attorney, Agent, or FirmStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [57] ABSTRACT A device wherein balls are interposed between a trip slide for transmitting the movement of a pickup arm to a trip for controlling the automatic record player and brackets for supporting the trip slide so that the trip slide may smoothly move in sliding'motion.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJIJL 3,822,888

SHEET 1 (1F 2 PATENIEDJUL 9814 I 3.822.888

SHEET 2 OF 2 I FIG. 3

T N 340 828 29 (34b) (32b) TRIP ACTUATION DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC RECORD PLAYER This invention relates to a trip actuation device for initiating the-operation of an automatic playing mechanism of an automatic record player, and more particularly it is concerned with an improvement in the mechanism for causing the trip slide of such trip actuation device to move in sliding motion.

In trip actuation devices for initiating various automatic operations of automatic record players of the prior art, a control gear provided with a cam and other members constituting a drive for the automatic playing mechanism is brought into meshing engagement with a gear provided on the underside of the central portion of the turntable and rotated, so as to permit automatic operation of pickup arm, changing of records and similar automatic operations to be performed.

The control gear remains inoperative during the time a record is being played, with a toothless portion formed on its peripheral surface being disposed against the gear mounted on the underside of the central portion of the turntable. It is rendered operative and makes one revolution when the playing of the record is completed.

The control gear has a trip mounted thereon for initiating the rotation thereof which trip is pushed and moved through a trip slide by an arm secured to the rotary shaft for the pickuparm. A motor board supporting the record player has a guide pin connected thereto and extending through a slot formed in the trip slide, and a washer of the E type of relatively large size, for example, is brought into engagement with the underside of the guide pin so as to slidably support the trip slide.

The force which moves the trip slide in sliding motion is of the very low order because it is produced by the pickup arm as it is turned by the sound groove on the record. This makes it necessary for the trip slide to move lightly in sliding motion. If an excessively great force is exerted on the trip slide, an excessively high lateral pressure will be applied to the stylus in reaction to its" thereby causing distortion to occur.

Aforementioned trip actuation devices of the prior art have a disadvantage in that it is not possible for them to make the trip slide actuate smoothly due to frictional dragging of the supports on the trip slide.

This invention obviates the aforementioned disadvantage of the prior art. Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide means in a trip actuation device for an automatic record player for eliminating a lateral pressure applied to the stylus so as to preclude the occurrence of distortion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trip slide support means which permits the trip slide to move smoothly and lightly in sliding motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trip slide support means which supports the trip slide with out causing the trip slide to strike against the side walls of the support members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trip actuation device for an automatic record player which is free from misoperation.

Other and additional objects and features are those inherent in the invention shown, described and claimed herein, and will become evident as the description proceeds.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view of a record player incorporating one embodiment of this invention;

portions-of a third embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of FIG. 7.

FIG. 1 shows a record player incorporating the trip actuation device comprising one embodiment of this invention. A control gear 11 provided with a cam and other members constituting a drive for the automatic playing mechanism rotates while being maintained in meshing engagement with a gear 15 provided in a boss 14 disposed on the underside of a central portion of a turntable 13 on which a record 12rests for rotation. Control gear 11 actuates an automatic playing mecha nism for operating a pickup arm 16, changing the records and other operations which, together with a mechanism for rotating the turntable, may be of any known type and the description thereof herein shall be omitted.

Control gear lll, which remains stationary during the time a record is being played with a toothless portion thereof being positioned against gear 15, is rotated upon completion of the playing of the record. A trip 17 for actuating control gear 11 is pivotally supported by a shaft 18 on control gear 11. Pickup arm 16 moves toward a central portion of record 12 while the latter is being played and reaches the central portion when the playing of the record is completed.

This movement of pickup arm 16 to the central portion of record 12 causes an arm 20 secured to a rotary shaft 19 supporting pickup arm 16 to move in pivotal motion in the direction of an arrow 21 in FIG. 2, thereby pushing and moving a trip slide 22 in the direction of an arrow 23 in the figure.

Trip slide 22, whose essential portions are shown in section'in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, is supported for sliding motion in the direction of an arrow 28 shown in FIG. 3 by support brackets 26 and 27 secured to a bracket 25 which in turn is secured to a motor board 24. Support bracket 26 is formed on its'surface with a longitudinal groove 29 of V-shaped cross-section, and trip slide 22 is also formed on its underside with a downwardly facing longitudinal groove 30 of V-shaped cross-section in a position corresponding to the position of groove 29. The two grooves 29 and 30 are disposed in face to face relation with each other so as to mount therebetween a ball bearing 31.

Support bracket 27 is also formed on its surface with longitudinal grooves 320 and 32b of similar crosssectional shape which are parallel to each other as shown in FIG. 2. Trip slide 22 is also formed on its underside with downwardly facing longitudinal grooves 330 and 33b in positions corresponding to the positions of grooves 32a and 32b respectively. The two grooves 32a and 32b and the two grooves 33a and 33b are disposed in face to face relation with each other so as to mount therebetween ball bearings 34a and 34b respectively.

V-shaped grooves 29, 30, 32a, 32b, 33a and 33b are closed at opposite ends so as to keep the ball bearings from being dislodged therefrom. The spacing between bracket 25 and brackets 26 and 27 is minimized so long as trip slide 22 is not brought into contact with bracket 25 while in service, so that ball bearings 31, 34a and 34b will never be dislodged from the grooves even if the device is disposed upside-down.

Friction will be produced if trip slide 22 is brought into contact with side walls of support brackets 26 and 27. However, ball bearings 31, 34a and 3412 are held against lateral movement by the V-shaped longitudinal grooves 29, 32a and 321) formed on brackets 26 and 27, so that all the ball bearings do not move transversely. The ball bearings are also held against lateral movement by the V-shaped longitudinal grooves 30, 33a and 33b formed on trip slide 22. Thus, there is no danger of trip slide 22 being brought into contact with side walls of support brackets 26 and 27.

It will be seen that trip slide 22 is thus capable of moving lightly in sliding motion in the direction of arrow 28 only, because it is supported at three points by ball bearings 31, 34a and 34b.

lf trip slide 22 slidably supported as aforementioned is pushed and moved in the direction of arrow 23 by the arm 20 moving in pivotal motion, an end portion 35 of trip slide 22 presses against a lower portion 36 of trip 17 as shown in FIG.;1, thereby causing trip 17 to move in pivotal motion about shaft 18 and bringing a projection 37 of trip 17 into engagement with a protrusion 38 formed on the boss 14 of turntable 13. Projection 37 shifts its position as turntable 13 rotates, and control gear 11 is rotated thereby, so that the toothless portion thereof positioned against the gear provided on the boss 14 of turntable 13 shifts its position transversely and control gear 11 is brought into meshing engagement with gear 15. After being brought into meshing engagement with gear 15, control gear 11 rotates in conjunction with turntable 13 so as to permit various automatic operations to be performed.

The trip slide constructed as aforementioned is capable of moving very lightly in sliding motion. However, if the movement of trip slide is too light, it may shift its position when the player is subjected to a shock or tilted, no matter how small the shock and the degree of tilting are. This may cause misoperation of the player.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show means provided by this invention for precluding misoperation might otherwise be caused by the shifting of trip slide. Ball bearing 31 is mounted in a washer 39 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of ball bearing 31. When ball bearing 31 moves in rolling motion in grooves 29 and 30 as trip slide 22 moves in sliding motion, washer 39 moves together with ball bearing 31 while being maintained in sliding contact with an inner surface of support bracket 26. The frictional dragging of washer 39 on support bracket 26 applies an optimum brake on trip slide 22, thereby stabilizing the movement of the latter.

It is to be understood that not only ball bearing 31 but also ball bearings 34a and 34b may be each mounted in a washer, or two of the three ball bearings 31, 34a and 34b may be each mounted in a washer so as to suitably adjust the force exerted on the trip slide during its sliding motion.

In one example, the V-shaped grooves formed in support brackets 26 and 27 and trip slide 22 had a depth of about 1.9 mm. and an angle of 90, the ball bearings mounted in these grooves had a diameter of about 3.9 mm., and the ball bearing 31 disposed nearest to the rotary shaft 19 for pickup arm 16 only was mounted in a washer about 8 mm. in outer diameter, about 4.5 mm. in inner diameter and 0.5 mm. in thickness, while the other two ball bearings 34a and 34b were not mounted in washers. When the trip slide was constructed as aforementioned, it exhibited an excellent performance in normal operation. Even when the player was tilted by 24, misoperation of trip slide 22 was precluded. Thus, the trip actuation device according to this invention showed an excellent performance.

FIG. 7 shows another example of means for keeping trip slide from moving too lightly. Support bracket 26 is shown as being disposed in a position lower than that of support bracket 27', so that trip slide 22 is inclined such that its position becomes lower in going toward the rotary shaft 19 for pickup arm 16. By this arrangement, a small force acting in the direction of an arrow 40 is exerted on trip slide 22 by its own weight to ensure that trip slide 22 is maintained in abutting engagement with the arm 20 secured to rotary shaft 19 for pickup arm 16 at all times, thereby applying a suitable load thereto.

In the embodiments shown and described herein, trip slide 22 has been described as being supported at three points. It is to be understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the aforementioned number of the points at which the trip slide is supported, and that the trip slide may be supported at any number of points as desired.

While particular embodiments of this invention are shown and described above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A trip actuation device for an automatic record player comprising a turntable adapted to rotate while a discal record rests thereon,

a gear provided in a central portion of said turntable,

a control gear adapted to mesh with said gear and rotate in conjunction with said turntable for performing various automatic operations,

a trip pivotally supported on said control gear and formed with a projection adapted to engage a protrusion formed on the central portion of said turntable so as to bring said control gear into meshing engagement with said gear provided in said turntable,

an arm secured to a rotary shaft for a pickup arm,

a trip slide for transmitting the movement of said arm to said trip, said trip slide being formed on its underside with three longitudinal grooves each of said groovesbeing closed at opposite ends thereof and V-ahaped in cross-section,

support means for supporting said trip slide, said sup port means being formed on their upper surfaces tudinal grooves formed in said support means, said.

trip being supported at three points, two of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and two of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means being disposed parallel to each other in a position near to said trip, the other one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and the other one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means being disposed in a position near tothe rotary shaft for the pickup arm, wherein only the ball bearing mounted between said one longitudinal groove 7 formed in said trip slide and disposed near to the rotary shaft for the pickup arm and said one longitudinal groove formed in said support means and disposed near to the rotary shaft for the pickup arm is mounted in a washer of an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of said ball bearing.

2. A trip actuation device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one longitudinal groove formed in said trip slide and said one longitudinal groove formed in said support means each have side walls disposed at an angle of 90 and a depth of about 1.9 mm, said ball bearing has an outer diameter of about 3.9 mm. and said washer has an inner diameter of about 4.5 mm., an outer diameter of about 8 mm. and a thickness of about 0.5 mm.

3. A trip actuation device for an automatic record player comprising a turntable adapted to rotate while a discal record rests thereon,

a gear provided in a central portion of said turntable,

a control gear adapted to mesh with said gear and rotate in conjunction with said turntable for performing various automatic operations,

a trip pivotally supported on said control gear and formed with a projection adapted to engage a protrusion formed on the central portion of said turntable so as to bring said control gear into meshing engagement with said gear provided in said turntable,

an arm secured to a rotary shaft for a pickup arm,

a trip slide for transmitting the movement of said arm to said trip, said trip slide being formed on its under side with a plurality of longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-shaped in cross-section,

'- support means for supporting said trip slide, said support means being formed on their upper surfaces with a plurality of longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-shaped in cross-section, said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide being disposed in positions corresponding to those of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, and

a plurality of ball bearings for supporting said trip slide, each said ball bearing mounted between one of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in' said trip slide and one of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, wherein said support means is inclined such that it grows lower in going toward the rotary shaft for the pickup arm, so that a force acting in the direction of the rotary shaft for the pickup arm is exerted at s all times on said trip slide by its own weight. 

1. A trip actuation device for an automatic record player comprising a turntable adapted to rotate while a discal record rests thereon, a gear provided in a central portion of said turntable, a control gear adapted to mesh with said gear and rotate in conjunction with said turntable for performing various automatic operations, a trip pivotally supported on said control gear and formed with a projection adapted to engage a protrusion formed on the central portion of said turntable so as to bring said control gear into meshing engagement with said gear provided in said turntable, an arm secured to a rotary shaft for a pickup arm, a trip slide for transmitting the movement of said arm to said trip, said trip slide being formed on its underside with three longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-ahaped in cross-section, support means for supporting said trip slide, said support means being formed on their upper surfaces with three longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-shaped in cross-section, said three longitudinal gooves formed in said trip slide being disposed in positions corresponding to those of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, and three ball bearings for supporting said trip slide, each said ball bearing being mounted between one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, said trip being supported at three points, two of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and two of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means being disposed parallel to each other in a position near to said trip, the other one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and the other one of said three longitudinal grooves formed in said support means being disposed in a position near to the rotary shaft for the pickup arm, wherein only the ball bearing mounted between said one longitudinal groove formed in said trip slide and disposed near to the rotary shaft for the pickup arm and said one longitudinal groove formed in said support means and disposed near to the rotary shaft for the pickup arm is mounted in a washer of an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of said ball bearing.
 2. A trip actuation device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one longitudinal groove formed in said trip slide and said one longitudinal groove formed in said support means each have side walls disposed at an angle of 90* and a depth of about 1.9 mm., said ball beAring has an outer diameter of about 3.9 mm. and said washer has an inner diameter of about 4.5 mm., an outer diameter of about 8 mm. and a thickness of about 0.5 mm.
 3. A trip actuation device for an automatic record player comprising a turntable adapted to rotate while a discal record rests thereon, a gear provided in a central portion of said turntable, a control gear adapted to mesh with said gear and rotate in conjunction with said turntable for performing various automatic operations, a trip pivotally supported on said control gear and formed with a projection adapted to engage a protrusion formed on the central portion of said turntable so as to bring said control gear into meshing engagement with said gear provided in said turntable, an arm secured to a rotary shaft for a pickup arm, a trip slide for transmitting the movement of said arm to said trip, said trip slide being formed on its under side with a plurality of longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-shaped in cross-section, support means for supporting said trip slide, said support means being formed on their upper surfaces with a plurality of longitudinal grooves each of said grooves being closed at opposite ends thereof and V-shaped in cross-section, said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide being disposed in positions corresponding to those of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, and a plurality of ball bearings for supporting said trip slide, each said ball bearing mounted between one of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said trip slide and one of said plurality of longitudinal grooves formed in said support means, wherein said support means is inclined such that it grows lower in going toward the rotary shaft for the pickup arm, so that a force acting in the direction of the rotary shaft for the pickup arm is exerted at all times on said trip slide by its own weight. 